Home advantage could boost Shivam Dube against England, says coach Bhosle

India’s Shivam Dube during the match against West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. Pic/PTI

As all-rounder Shivam Dube, 32, gears up for the T20 World Cup semi-final against England at his Wankhede home ground on Thursday, his childhood coach Nilesh Bhosle believes his ward's familiarity with the venue could prove to be crucial factor for the hosts.

"Shivam has played some small, but very crucial knocks in almost every game for India, be it at the Asia Cup or in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Shivam [with his strokeplay] has always helped release the pressure off his batting partner. Though some of his innings were small, but the knocks were game-changing, and he can do the same against England tomorrow [Thursday]," Bhosle told mid-day on Wednesday.

Nilesh Bhosle

Dube's carnage in 2018

Bhosle, who is currently the Joint Secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association, recalled how Dube hammered five consecutive sixes against Baroda left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh in a Ranji Trophy match at Wankhede in 2018. "I remember how Shivam smashed those five sixes against Baroda at this ground. Wankhede is his home ground, so he is well aware of the conditions here and I'm confident he will put his best effort and help our team beat England. His batting style is such that if he gets the ball in his radar, then whoever the bowler is, he will go for the big hit. I'm expecting the same from him against England," said Bhosle.

Dube has scored 166 in seven games and claimed five wickets in this tournament so far. Recalling Dube's early days when their school - Hansraj Morarji Public School - emerged Giles Shield champions in 2007, Bhosle, who was the school team's coach then, said: "Since childhood, Shivam's strength has been big-hitting. We beat Shardashram Vidyalaya [English] in the U-14 Giles Shield final at Shivaji Park Gymkhana in 2007. Shivam and Jaideep Pardeshi used to open for us and gave us good starts. He was a regular at practice and never missed a day. His dad [Rajesh] even made a pitch at home for extra practice so credit to him and his passion for the game."

Bhosle revealed how Dube never played age-group cricket for Mumbai, but directly made it to the Ranji team.

From fat to fit

"When Shivam was 13, his weight was around 75 kg. He stopped playing cricket for a few years, primarily due to a back injury. He was a bit too fat in those days. But later, when he started playing club cricket and competitive cricket, he realised the importance of fitness and started working on it and began doing well at the senior level," Bhosle signed off.

05
No. of wickets claimed by Shivam Dube in seven games at this T20 World Cup

166
No. of runs scored by Shivam Dube @33.2 in the ongoing T20 World Cup

156.6
Shivam Dube's strike rate in the ongoing T20 WC; the third best among Indian players, behind Sanju Samson (195.9) and Ishan Kishan (185.1)